Of Ponyline
by RavensDagger
Summary: Rainbow Dash is prepared. Her craft is as ready as it will ever be. The Ponyline course is set, the competition is there. Her hopes are high, but... is victory that simple?


I hate it when author's put something at the start, but, listening to this:  watch?v=Ok2369YY2P8&feature=g-vrec does make it much better.

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A gentle breeze rustled the luscious green grass of the field, where butterflies and tiny critters played. Their jovial chirping filled the air with a gleeful sense of tranquility. Far below them, where the field dipped into a shallow descent, was an idyllic little town. Hundreds of ponies flocked in and around that town, but, despite the wealth of ponies below, hardly a sound was heard as every pony held their breath.

Huge grandstands had been assembled around the town. Upon which, thousands of pastel shapes sat, shaded from the afternoon sun by enormous banners. The large canvas squares fluttered about in the breeze and sported the same advertisement:_ Ponyline_.

The ears of the little bunnies perked, and the slow grazings of the mice stopped. They all turned, furrowing their eyes against both the bright beams of sunlight, which poked through the cloudy sky, and the thick plumes of dark smoke that wafted through the air. Heads all turned as one, they stared towards the horizon as a light buzzing grew louder and louder

Four bright steaks blurred by, quiet, almost unseen by the critters that vainly tried to follow them with their tiny eyes.

Walls of blaring noise and powerful gusts arrived seconds later. As the grass was ripped from the soft soil, the tiny animals scurrying for desperate safety.

Another aircraft appeared, this one trailing a thick plume of smoke behind its dark-green frame. "Oh, no,.The poor little creatures," pleaded one of the aircraft's occupants as her eyes began tearing up at sight of the animals fleeing.

"C'mon, Fluttershy! We're losing! We don't have time for some silly bunnies!" screamed the cyan pegasus over her shoulder. "Just lock a signal onto the _Wonderbolt_ and nav our way there."

The yellow pegasus nodded, blinking back tears to focus on the console in front of her. "Okay, um, next stop is point three clicks ahead. Our fuel is running low, our engine is fuming..."

Rainbow grunted in acknowledgement. She glared ahead and expertly adjusted the rudder with a jab from her hoof to the pedal. "Tell me something I don't know."

Their radio crackled to life as they approached the town. The energetic voice of a screaming mare filled the open cockpit, hurtling words out fast enough to be mistaken for an auctioneer. _"-and we have Gilda, in the _Red Baroness_, still in the lead. Behind her, we have The Great and Powerful Trixie in the _Devious._ Both contestants are vying for a lead as they pull into the last pit of the race! Far behind them, we have Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy in the _Tank_! Their engines are putting out smoke, so they must be pushing something a little too hard! Watch out for them!"_

Ahead, the other five planes banked into a sharp left turn, much to the delight of the ponies below, who cheered wildly above the clamour of the flying vehicles. Flags, sporting the symbols and names of their favorite racers, were buffeted by the gale force winds produced by the aircraft as they screamed past. The ponies cheered and hollered, somehow making themselves heard over the growl of the two-stroke engines and totally oblivious of the choking billows of exhaust smoke.

Rainbow hung her top half from the fuselage, fighting against the turbulent winds as she peered at the banners. None of them were sporting her signature green. "Oh, come-on!" she protested as she slammed back into her seat.

Fluttershy leaned forward in the co-pilot's seat, placing a comforting hoof on her friend's shoulder. "It's okay, Dash. It's just a race."

Rainbow shrugged the hoof away. "Just a race?! This is my chance to get into the Wonderbolts!"

Fluttershy shook her head sadly as she leaned back in her seat. Calmly, the mare looked through the bi-plane's wings at the massive, suspended airship far ahead.

The name '_Wonderbolt_' was emblazoned on its bright blue sides in huge letters; yellow-lined entryways dotted the paneled side below the gasbag. Each one sported the name of a racer and ship. Rainbow corrected their trajectory and slammed the throttle home. With a howl of protest from the exhausted engine, the plane surged forward, nose set just below the name of their plane. The rotary engine continued to spew blackened smoke and licks of flame as they gained even more speed.

Fluttershy cringed as the disgusting smell of metallic exhaust caught in her throat. "You're going too fast!" she yelled in between coughs.

A grin spread slowly across Rainbow's face. "You can never go too fast!"

_Tank_'s nose lifted under the direction of its pilot, then plunged into the hangar. "Hang on!" called Rainbow, voice lined with excitement and fear. She slammed the yoke forward, raising the flaps to slow their speed. The engine sputtered and stalled, leaving the propeller to wind down with a high pitched whine, drawing metallic clacks and knocks from the engine. Around them, hundreds of support struts blurred by, forming a wall of steel and iron where ponies flocked, wide-eyed and staring, towards the smoking aircraft.

The left-front wheel crashed into the deck and immediately gave way, shattering like a twig under the tremendous weight and shooting out ahead of the plane on applied momentum. It hit one of the many tool cases within the hangar and sheered away in a shower of sparks and scattered wrenches.

Sparks lit the hangar like a swarm of fireflies as the aircraft skidded forward on its one remaining guide-wheel. Rainbow pulled desperately on the yoke as the end of the hanger neared, but received no response from the abused bi-plane. The left wing caught purchase on the metal deck and stuck fast, leaving the right wheel to spin them about to a sideways stop only feet away from the thousand foot drop at the end of the landing deck.

Both ponies sat in silence, watching as the propellor spun once more around. Their eyes were wide with mouths agape, one-one in a huge grin and the other in a silent scream of terror. "That, was, awesome!" squealed Rainbow as she began twisting knobs and pulling levers to check the plane for damages.

Suddenly, a bright pink bulb of energy exploded nearby. "What were you guys thinking!" yelled Twilight in exasperation as she landed with a thud on one of the plane's wings. The mare leaned forward, eyes staring accusingly at Rainbow Dash.

"We don't have time to whine! Just fix her so we can get going," countered the rainbow-maned mare.

Twilight groaned in frustration. Rolling her eyes, she reached into one of the many pockets that lined her mechanic's barding and pulled out a small map. "The new lap will pass in Ghastly Gorge. It's the last lap and if you plan to finish anywhere beyond last, you'd better hurry up." She turned towards Fluttershy. "I have something for you- give me a second." With that, the mare blinked away once more.

With a frustrated sigh, Rainbow slumped back into her seat; her forehoof tapping the yoke impatiently as she looked out beyond the ship. A plane, crimson red in colour, catapulted itself off of the _Wonderbolt_. Its pilot, a brown griffin, screamed excitedly as she, once more, took the lead. Close behind it, a blue and purple star-spangled craft zipped off the runway after the _Red-Baroness._

Rainbow slapped the side of the cabin in frustration. "Horseapples! We're missing the entire race!"

"Well, that wouldn't be the case if y'all were just a lil' patient!"

Both Rainbow and Fluttershy turned to look at Applejack. The orange mare carried a saddlebag full of tools as she agilely climbed a wing and mounted the engine housing. Within seconds, the circular engine case was removed and she was peeking at the motor. Her ear twitched. "Rainbow... you remember when ah told you to be careful with the throttle?"

"Um, yeah...?" The rainbow-maned pegasus sank deeper into the cockpit, hiding from her cowmare friend.

"Uh-huh." Applejack shook her head before burying herself into the cowling. Parts flew out, slinging through the air to land on the floor with a loud clatter, which was drowned out by the cacophony that ruled the garage. "You ought to have enough fuel for the last lap as is. Just don't go crazy with the stunts. Ah reckon you might end well if you don't fool 'round too much."

Rainbow grumbled something vague about taking gold. "Uh-huh," repeated the cowmare before dropping off the side. "Don't fool 'round with that throttle, you might explode!"

"Di-did she say explode?" asked Fluttershy in a quivering voice.

"Nah, we'll be fine!" she said, twisting around to give her partner a confidence-filled smile.

Twilight chose that moment to teleport back to their side. Her lavender hoof clacked against the airplane's aluminium shell as she landed with an _oomph_. "Alright, I'm back. Fluttershy, take this." The mare levitated a tiny box over to the pegasus, who gingerly held it in her hooves.

"What is it?" asked Fluttershy as she inspected the seamless black box.

"It's a special boosting agent to mix with Tank's fuel; just drop it into the reserve when ready and it should increase your speed by approximately sixty four percent." Twilight smiled down at them.

"Wouldn't that be bad for the engine?" Applejack asked skeptically.

Twilight ignored her.

"Si-sixty-four percent!" exclaimed Rainbow Dash, almost springing out of her cabin.

"Oh, my. What's it called?" Fluttershy asked in a whisper, inspecting the black box.

"Small Form Acceleration Enhancement, or, SFAE. It's almost safe!" Twilight beamed down at them, one eye twitching a little. "I... obtained it in Canterlot. Last night. After Trixie decided that it would be fun to play a little... trick on me." Her tail swished from side to side, the hair standing on end.

"Um, right. Mind helping us out of here?" asked Rainbow.

Twilight shook her head, refocusing on the pegasus in front of her. "Oh, right. How are you planning on getting out of here anyway?"

A huge grin spread across Rainbow's face as she leaned forward and flicked on the motor. With a rumble, the engine purred to life. Black fumes had begun gusting out from the plane's exhaust as it shook and shivered on the spot. Wide-eyed, Twilight focused her magic and teleported over to Applejack. Both mares watched as _Tank_ began to grind forward, pulled along by the powerful propeller.

"Hang on Flutter, this is going to be rough!" Hoof-length by hoof-length, _Tank _inched forward until it balanced at the very edge of the hangar's runway. Rainbow smiled as she slammed the throttle as far as it would go.

With a lurch, their ship skipped ahead and over the edge; Fluttershy's terrified shriek resonated through the airship even after she left.

They were falling; the ground quickly approached through the blur of the spinning propeller. Far below them, masses of ponies were looking up at _Tank_'s green form as the plane whined and screamed towards the ground

"Just, a little, faster," grunted Rainbow Dash, her head crushed into the back of her seat as she looked at the aircrafts speedometer. The little device's hand shivered at the highest speed it had. "Faster!" she yelled through clenched teeth. Slowly, a crack formed in the glass of her goggles.

She pulled back on the yoke. _Tank_'s ailerons fought against the wind as gradually, the plane shifted to a horizontal position. The powerful draft of wind that followed it slammed into the ponies below, ripping banners loose and throwing their little flags into the air as they cheered wildly.

_Tank _rushed forward, rocketing across the sky, and through the lower level of clouds as it reentered the main race area. Fluttershy shook her head as she pushed away from her seat and looked around them. They were quickly gaining altitude, following a line of fumes that arched upwards. Above them, a cobbled-together looking black and brown plane flew; the name on its side proclaiming it the _Diomand_.

The voice on the radio fizzled back to life. _"Ladies and gentlecolts, would you look at that! Everypony who wagered that the _Tank _was outta the race was dead wrong! Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy are right below the _Diomand _and gaining on it! Ahead of them is the _Changewing! _That beast has been playing around all race long and is just now starting to gain its momentum. At the lead, we have the_ Red-Baroness _quickly followed by _Devious!"

"Turn that stuff off!" yelled Rainbow over her shoulder, her words quickly snatched away by the strong winds.

Nodding, Fluttershy reached out and lowered the volume. Her eyes wandered to her navigation unit and widened. Leaning forward, she spoke into Rainbow Dash's ear. "We're almost at the canyon. We need to go down again."

"Gladly." The mare shoved her hooves onto the rudder controls and yanked the yoke to one side, twisting _Tank _around until it rested upside down under the _Diomand. _Both planes shivered as they entered each other's wake, the wind around them humming violently within the boundaries of both engines loud roar.

"There it is!" shouted Fluttershy, pointing below to the massive gorge entrance. Far below, the _Red-Baroness_ plunged into the canyon, ducking and weaving as it dodged the massive pillars of rock.

"Alright, here we go!" Rainbow jerked the yoke in the opposite direction, twisting their aircraft around and blasting a massive zephyr of wind against the _Diomand._ The jury-rigged aircraft's engine sputtered desperately as its diamond dog occupants tried to keep it in check.

Fluttershy squeaked in pity for them as she watched one kicking and punching the craft, but it was to no avail. The taut fabric that enwrapped the weak wooden wings of the heavy triplane tore, opening an enormous hole in the canvas that whistled through the air as the plane began to lose altitude. The diamond dogs on board swore vengeance as they went down.

Fluttershy had little time to feel pity for the diamond dogs. As Rainbow shoved the yoke forward, the metallic shaft clicked as it hit the lowest setting. Beside her, Fluttershy watched as the ailerons creaked downwards, forced to move against the wild winds.

_Tank_ dived. The plane's nose rent the air in two as cloud after cloud streaked by. Massive white giants ripped and shredded apart on contact with the volatile blades that pulled the craft forward.

"Ahhh, yeah!" screamed Rainbow Dash, her face rippling in the fast wind. Fluttershy, behind her, coward behind the tiny protective glass of her cabin, shivering as the cold air brushed over her mane.

Ahead of them, the opening of the canyon grew larger and larger, allowing both mares to pick out the tinier details. Strong, towering columns were covered in sparkling gems and deep cracks bored into the walls by centuries of rain and wind. The weak, stone-covered, ground was decorated by small strangled tufts of grass.

Near the quickly approaching entrance, two planes fought for third. One, a tiny purple and blue monocoque, weaved and waved around a much larger aircraft. The tiny, star-spangled ship launched fireworks that impacted against the canyon walls, sending showers of colourful debris.

The larger craft, black and green with the name '_Changewing_' adorning its sides in flowing script, buzzed ahead of the _Devious_. Its long, translucent wings brushed against the granite pillars that jutted out of the wall, sending thick clouds of dust along the _Devious'_ path.

"All right, Fluttershy. Here we go!" screamed Rainbow excitedly. The mare pushed herself out of the padded seat, unfurling her wings until they braced her against both sides of the cockpit. First one hoof, followed by other slammed against the ship's console as she grabbed the yoke in her forehooves.

With a grunt, the mare pulled back on the stick, causing both ailerons to snap upwards. _Tank_ kept falling, piercing cloud after cloud, as its front end slowly peaked upwards, turning its downward descent into a horizontal sprint. The rainbow-maned mare screamed, the muscles in her arms bulging as she fought gravity and acceleration.

They rocketed into the gorge amd Rainbow slumped into her seat as they crossed the invisible threshold marking the entrance. She began to play with the controls, yanking and stabbing at levers and buttons, to fly in between the solid pillars that announced certain death to anypony foolish enough to hit them.

The edge of_ Tank_'s wing scrapped the wall, sending an arc of brilliant sparks cascading behind the speeding ship. "We're not going to make it!" shrieked Fluttershy, her words drowned out by the powerful torrent of sound emanating from the gorge.

At the very last second ,_Tank _pulled up. Its remaining wheel struck a boulder, causing both to explode in a shower of metal parts and chunks of rock, which clattered on the hard ground below. The bi-plane rocked under the impact, its able pilot fought to keep it steady as it climbed back up to join the other two planes in the fight for second.

Far ahead of them, a bright red triplane was weaving up and down amongst a sea of gigantic serpents. "Th-those are qu-quarrey eels!" squeaked Fluttershy in terror as she beheld the huge red reptiles. The eels were twisting out of their cavern-like homes, snapping and biting at the passing aircraft in vain.

"No time for them now; we need to focus on those two!" shouted Rainbow over the drone of _Tank'_s engine. The mare pointed one of her cyan hooves towards the sky above them. Contrasted by the bright blue sky and the puffy clouds, were Trixie's _Devious_ and the _Changewing. _The larger of the two flew in a straight line, only tipping slightly around each bend and twist, while the much more agile _Devious _flew ahead, bright sparklers marking its path.

"We need to get past them. Pop the pill!"

Fluttershy's eyes widened. "What?! B-but we'll crash, shouldn't we save-"

Rainbow shook her head. "Nevermind saving it, we need it now!" A few pebbles clattered against the plane's wing, bouncing off into the abyss below. Rainbow strained her neck as she looked up. "Now, now!"

The yellow mare grabbed the black box and held it between her hooves as she tried to pry it apart. "I can't open it!" As if on command, the box box hissed apart, allowing a tiny purple pill to spill out and onto the cabin's metal floor. "Oh, no. Give me a minute Rainbow, I'll get it."

Rainbow rolled her eyes. "Nevermind," she grunted, pulling back on the yoke and pressing on the rudders. Both wings strained as the plane bent into itself and pulled support cords taut, untiluntil it rocketed up and ahead of the competition.

Fluttershy crashed into the ground in a yellow heap, her muzzle landing inches away from the glowing purple pill. Through her groan, she smiled. "Got it!" she squealed happily, her face inching forward to grab the ball. Rainbow let go of the rudders and pulled back on the throttle, twisting the ship onto its side.

With a disappointed sigh, Fluttershy watched the ball roll away from her. She chased it as her hooves scrambling against the cold metal.

_Tank _rocketed upwards, passing between the two feuding crafts. Sparkles from the _Devious _trailed after them, glinting as they reflected the sunlight until they were engulfed by _Tank'_s exhaust fumes.

_"Wow! Incredible! Not only has _Tank _pushed ahead to third, it's now fighting for second, along with the _Changewing _and _Devious_. Ahead, the _Red-Baroness_ is weaving through the sea of eels, quickly gaining! Meanwhile, _Diomand_ has fallen behind, its diamond dog occupants desperate to get it moving!_

_"I say, Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy's performance to date has been incredible. What a come back! Will they be able to make it? Or will they crash and die horrible deaths? Statistics say the latter, but it'll be interesting to watch either way!"_

The _Devious_ twisted to one side, hugging the wall with its belly as the pilot pulled her head out of the cabin and screamed some incoherent babble with a flourish of her hooves. Her blue horn glowed brightly, smearing the canyon walls with a beautiful purple glow that swirled amongst the toxic fumes. A single bolt of magic fired away, burning through the air as it headed towards the two planes behind her.

"That crazy mule!" shouted Rainbow Dash as she twisted her own plane around, narrowly avoiding the searing beam. Some of the pegasus' multi-hued mane singed, turning brown as it flapped in the wind.

The beam travelled on, cutting a clean slice through one of the_ Changewing'_s many transparent wings. Squeals of protest pierced the air as the massive craft seemed to shiver. One of the small glass panes that adorned its sides popped off and fell away out of sight as a black, horn wielding, form stuck its head out. Soon, it was followed by a half dozen more angry shapes.

Horns glowed a malevolent green as the changelings fired their own deadly bolts, filling the sky with an exchange of deadly rays.

"These ponies are all crazy!" screamed Rainbow as she ducked and weaved her plane around the bright bars. Her shout was drowned out as the skies filled with the sound of a thousand angry hornets. Behind her, the_ Changewing_ was gaining, slowly speeding up as its wings beat faster and faster.

Fluttershy popped back up, the glowing purple pill held in her smiling mouth. "I goht teh pihl!" she yelled. As she looked down at her console, her eyes widened in fear. "We're almuth at teh eeelth!"

"Eels?" The rainbow-maned mare's eyes widened. "Oh, the eels..." A slow, mischievous grin arced across her face, dimly illuminated by the constant flow of laser beams around them. "Hey, Fluttershy, what did AJ say would happen if we pushed the throttle too high?"

The pegasus mare spat the pill into her wing, holding it carefully. "Won't the motor begin smoking again?"

With a slap, the throttle control slammed into the highest setting. The motor's purring grew louder, slowly being replaced by a rumbling roar, as plumes of black exhaust spewed out behind them, joining together into a thick stream of stinking gas.

Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy crammed into their seats as _Tank _suddenly surged forward. Slowly, they gained on the_ Devious,_ its pilot staring at them wide eyed as she stopped firing. The _Changewing_ pulled up, as its bright green beams lost all semblance of accuracy.

"Awww, Yeahh!" screamed Rainbow at the top of her lungs as she skimmed by Trixie's plane. The blue showmare frowned at her and immediately sat back into her unibody plane. The _Devious_' engines barked as as the pistons and gears began working overtime to keep up with _Tank. _

"We-we're almost at the eels!" squealed Fluttershy, her eye clenching tightly out of fear, while a deluge of nerve induced sweat cascaded down her lush yellow coat.

"Perfect," said Rainbow in an undertone. She leaned forward, brows furrowing, as she studied the holes that lined the gorge. "Here we go!"

Huge gaping maws ripped out of the walls, intent on smashing and destroying the planes that zipped by. Rainbow smiled towards the gnashing teeth as, one after another, they missed her agile plane. Behind her, Fluttershy gripped the edges of the cockpit while her whitened face looked down the stinking mouths of one of the beasts.

Rainbow Dash laughed hysterically as she flew through the maze of hungry creatures, gaining speed as they charged forward with reckless abandon. The hole-lined edges of the cliff blurred by as both planes raced forward. The purple craft behind them was hard pressed to keep up as eel after eel jutted out of the walls to grab _Tank_, only to nearly ram into the _Devious._

The end of the gorge approached. Both walls careened away in opposite directions, opening up to a gigantic flowery field where the sun shone brilliantly and little critters flocked. Above that field was a single, thin trail of vapours that hung in the air as it flowed out of a red tri-plane. "Gilda," whispered Rainbow.

_"Incredible! _Tank_ and its pilots, Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy, have blown past the competition! _Changewing_ is only now entering the Quarrey Eel Pass with the_ Diomand_ hot on its tail! Trixie's having a hard time, but is keeping up with our intrepid duo! Meanwhile, fan favorite Gilda is keeping the lead, but for how long? The race is entering the final stretch everypony... sooo... watch out!"_

The dust that marked the exit of the canyon, flew up into billowing clouds that absorbed the midday sunlight. Two jagged holes were punched through the thin clouds as both _Tank_ and _Devious_ punctured their way past.

Rainbow glanced behind her, and into Trixie's angry face. The blue mare was turning a violent shade of purple as she worked her glowing magic across her aircraft's controls. Rainbow smiled, her eyes wandering to the half-inch of space between the throttle and the control panel. Jabbing a hoof forward, she slammed the lever down. _Tank_ rumbled, then barked forward and ahead of the_ Devious, _leaving the sleek monocoque in a cloud of black fumes.

The rainbow-maned mare twisted around to look ahead. Her sly smile changed to an expression of confusion at what she saw. Tiny slats in the plane's three wings opening and catching the air, forcing the massive vehicle to decelerate rapidly.

_ Red-Baroness _slipped by them, its enormous motor forcing it along in an attempt to keep it airborne. Gilda's beak twisted into a cruel smile as her craft slid behind them. Rainbow twisted in her seat, placing her hooves on the edge of her cockpit to look at the red plane behind her.

Through the whirling of the proppeller, Gilda leveled off a thick gun at them and pulled the trigger. A split-second later later, a bright red ball of foul-smelling sulfur flame arced ahead of _Tank,_ tiny sparks showering the green plane with burning embers.

_"Oh my! In typical Gilda fashion, our roguish griffin has decided to cheat once more! This time employing what seems to be a flare gun!"_

"She's crazy!" screamed Rainbow as she played with the controls, pushing the plane from one side to another. The _Red-Baroness_ kept up, not budging from _Tank'_s rear as flare after flare crossed the sky, their tiny red sparks showering the sky with fire and smoke.

"I can't shake her off! Fluttershy, take the controls!" The pegasus placed both hooves on _Tank_'s side and unfurled her wings. "I'll be right back," she yelled, her voice carried away by the wind as she kicked off the side of the plane.

The rainbow-maned mare tumbled through the air, flipping and kicking out until she stabilized herself behind her plane. Within _Tank_'s cockpit, Fluttershy squealed in panic, rushing over the pilot's seat to keep the yoke steady.

The wind twisted around Rainbow's body as she lowered her goggles, reflecting sunlight and the world around her. A tiny, sly smile crossed her lips. With a small grunt, the mare twisted, head over hooves, until she flew parallel to the _Red-Baroness._ Her wings beat a thousand miles an hour as she tried to keep up, tiny beads of sweat flowing off and away from her slick, cyan skin.

"What are you doing, Rainbow-Crash!" taunted Gilda. The griffin slammed on her plane's rudder, sending the craft hurtling towards the free flying mare. Rainbow Dash took the opportunity to perform a barrel roll, her back skimming over the _Red-Baroness_, to the opposing side.

Gilda screamed in exasperation, tossing her now-spent flare towards the mare. The little red gun tinkled against the airplane's fuselage before disappearing below. Rainbow Dash laughed at her. "You're supposed to shoot them, not throw 'em!"

Grunting in frustration, Gilda steered through the dark cloud of exhaust that trailed behind _Tank_, completely enveloping her plane in the black stink. When she pulled out, the griffin twisted her head around, sharp predatory eyes on the lookout for a cyan mare.

"Looking for me?" Gilda looked up and into a pair of magenta eyes hidden behind the goggles' reflective glass. Rainbow Dash smiled as Gilda gulped. The cyan mare leaned into the cabin suddenly, pushing the griffin aside with a powerful wing. The griffin _omph'ed_ as she crashed into the side of the cabin. "Sorry, Gildy, I win." Rainbow popped the lever on the emergency ejection seat.

Rainbow hopped away from the vehicle as bright gouts of flame appeared beneath its seat. With a powerful woosh, both the seat and its occupant were propelled, screaming, across the sky.

Slowly, the_ Red-Baroness_ tilted to one side until it ripped through a nearby cloud, disappearing amongst the white swirls.

Rainbow Dash beamed as she flew forwards, catching up to _Tank_'s still form. The mare grabbed hold of her seat and threw herself into the cockpit just as Fluttershy leaned back into her own. "That, was, awesome! Did you see that! We're totally going to win now!"

The yellow pegasus shrank back into her seat. "Um, Rainbow, you might want to look ahead..."

Far in front of them, contrasted against the serene sky, was the purple shape of the_ Devious._ Ahead of it, two great towers rose. Both were built out of sturdy steel that rose a hundred meters into the air, connected by a thick red banner that proclaimed the end of the long race. Topping the twin towers were large boxes surrounded by walls of glass that enclosed well-dressed ponies siping at expensive drinks.

On the ground, thousands of ponies strained their necks as they looked up to the oncoming planes. Each and every one cheered as the _Devious_ approached.

_"In a grand coup, Trixie's _Devious _has blown past the competition, leaving _Tank _and the _Red-Baroness_ in the dust! Gilda has been launched out of her ship; clearly, she's out of the race! Ponies have begun cheering _Devious_ for her pre-emptive victory!"_

Rainbow Dash slouched into her seat, sinking into the thick material as her shoulders slumped. "We-we lost..." she said, her voice trailing off into a note of pure despair. Her hooves let go of the yoke, falling to her sides as the vehicle trudged onwards.

"Um, Rainbow, we still have that pill..." said Fluttershy, rubbing her hooves together as she blushed demurely.

Rainbow looked at her friend and partner wide-eyed. "The pill! Pop the pill!"

Fluttershy nodded, picking up the pill from her wing and holding it in her hooves. The mare leaned over the side of the craft, half her body within, the other half without. Her hair caught in the wind, fluttering outwards and waving through the air as she searched for and found the gas cap. She grabbed the rubber plug with her muzzle and gave it a sharp twist, popping the container open. With a hand-like wing-tip, she threw the pill into the gas-smelling opening.

"It-it's in," said the quiet mare.

"Alright! Let's win this thing!" Rainbow twisted into her seat making herself comfortable as she looked ahead. Trixie was quickly leaving them in her craft's dust as she approached the end-line. "We're not moving any fast-"

The motor rumbled, vibrating crazily in a fashion that shook the entire plane. The exhaust ports bucked, kicking out a multi-hued puff of smoke before the ship returned to its normal rhythm.

"That was it?"

Gouts of flame thirty hoof-lengths long screamed out of _Tank_'s exhaust, scattering a rainbow-coloured burst of fumes that formed two large circles in the blue sky. Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy were both thrown into their seats, the air knocked out of their lungs and their goggles dug against their faces by the sheer force of the wind.

The entire plane groaned in protest as it seemed to stretch and remain immobile at the same time, allowing powerful magic to work its way around the craft. "We're, not, moving?" asked Rainbow Dash, her eyes glancing at the immobile ground far below.

Before she could say so much as another word, they shot forward. An enormous cone of multi-hued magic cut through the air as they rocketed ahead, becoming a blur. The planes wings stretched backwards as the pressure of the oncoming air bent them, ripping rivet after rivet apart. Thick lines of steam punctured through the engine housing as the motor started to rip apart.

Below them, trees and grass became a simple, monotone streak of many lines as they sped ahead.

Trixie, still snugly tucked in her _Devious, _twisted around as a blaring roar similar to that of a cannon blew by her, rocking her entire ship with the force of sound alone. Her victorious smile faded, melting into a wide-eyed look of abject fear at the oncoming green projectile.

The purple mare's horn glowed, illuminating the entire front end of her ship. Within seconds, _Devious_ barked loudly, gouts of blue flames joining the clean white exhaust that escaped the craft.

"She's gaining!" said Rainbow through a clenched jaw.

_Tank_ flew by the purple plane, long beams of flame bisecting the fluffy clouds as the ship screamed. The scream was accompanied by the horrified yelling of two mares, both of whom were welded to their seats.

Rainbow Dash pressed her rear hooves against the rudders, grunting as the strong metal bars sank into the floor. Parts of _Tank_ ripped off, sparking off the plane's hull as they glided by and towards _Devious._

_"What an awesome turn of events! _Tank _is now in the lead with the _Devious_ only meters behind! That green plane is burning something crazy up there! Those two mares must be insane! Both are on the last stretch, only a few hundred feet to go!_

Through her squint, Rainbow spotted the two tall towers and, with sheer force of will, guided the plane towards the centre. The towers loomed above them, their banners swaying in the wind that pushed ahead of the plane. Below them, thousands of ponies screamed and cheered in wild abandon.

_Tank_ crossed the finish line, its propeller shredding through the bright red cloth, littering the air with its supple scraps. Rainbow twisted her head, catching a glimpse of _Devious'_ purple tipped prop right behind _Tank._

A slow smile spread across the mare's face. "We won, we won!

_"_Tank_ wins! The third annual Ponyline championship event is over folks! What a doozy! Never before has a race been so hard earned, or so close, in the history of this sport!"_

* * *

Practice for the future action scenes in Steam Gears and Wings, hence the lack of a real ending... or plot, or story.

Editors:

Sorren 

StapleCactus

YourAntagonist

(Testing editors and stuff...)

Proofreaders:

Cpl Hooves

Frederick The Saiyan

A cross between

/files/flutterline_swfed_720_  
and

art/Against-the-Red-Lightning-302708601


End file.
